freshnails™
for total hand
hygiene

Proper nail care extends far beyond manicures and nail polish. It's not only important to have a regular and thorough nail-care routine to remove harmful germs and bacteria, but also to make freshnails™ an integral part of it. You owe it to your health to use freshnails™.

Stay healthy during flu season

From 1999 to 2013, incidents of seasonal influenza rose a staggering 351%, from 7,027 cases reported to 31,737.

It is estimated that our immune system spends half of its time fighting against germs… that live under our fingernails. By using freshnails™ and attacking one of the main sources of germ transmission at the source, you can help prevent not only the flu, but also a myriad of other illnesses.

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Germs & your kids

Most who hear the word 'germs' undoubtedly think of colds, flu and disease; this is likely especially true if they have small children. "Children under 3 are a germ's best friend," says Charles Gerba, Ph.D. "… Because kids learn about the world by touching everything and then putting their fingers in their eyes, nose, and mouth – all great ways to transmit germs. In fact, they go back and forth touching their surroundings and their body as many as 30 different times per minute." Every time you and your kids enter your house, so do the microbes picked up in other environments like daycare, the office or playground.

Preventative measures are the best thing you can do for yourself and your family to certify good health. In less than five minutes a day, you can ensure your whole family's nails are fresh, clean and free of potentially harmful germs and bacteria.

Germs and Bacteria freshnails™ kills:

Discover the 8 harmful germs and bacteria and learn what they cause in illness and related symptoms.

  • H1N1

    Influenza A (H1N1) is a subtype of influenza, a virus, and was the most common cause of human influenza (flu) in 2009. The World Health Organization declared the new strain of swine-origin H1N1 as a pandemic. This strain was often called swine flu by the public media. This novel virus spread worldwide and caused about 17,000 deaths by the start of 2010.

    Symptoms: Chills, Fever, Sore Throat, Muscle Pains, Severe Headache, Coughing, Weakness and in severe cases, Death.

  • E. coli

    Escherichia coli, commonly abbreviated E. coli, is a rod-shaped bacterium that is commonly found in the lower intestine. Oral transmission is the major route through which pathogenic strains of the bacterium cause disease.

    Symptoms: Vomiting, Fever, Bloody Diarrhea, Severe Blood and Kidney Problems, and sometimes Long-Term Disability or Death.

  • MRSA

    Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium responsible for several difficult-to-treat infections in humans. MRSA is especially troublesome in hospitals and nursing homes where patients with open wounds, invasive devices and weakened immune systems are at a greater risk of infection than the general public.

    Symptoms: Muscle Ache, Fever, Fatigue, Skin Infections (such as boils, necrotizing fasciitis necrotizing, pneumonia, infective endocarditis, or bone infections).

  • Strep

    Streptococcus species are responsible for many cases of sore throat, ear infections. Sinusitis, meningitis, pneumonia, endocarditis, cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis (the 'flesh-eating' bacterial infections).

    Symptoms: Sore Throat, Headache, Fever, Abdominal Pain, Skin Rash, Vomiting, Inflamed Lymph Nodes and Tonsils.

  • Coronavirus

    Coronaviruses are one of the causes of the common cold. They are also known for more severe diseases such as SARS and MERS. They are spread easily through sneezes and coughs and can survive on surfaces for up to 6 hours.

    Symptoms: Runny nose, cough, sore throat, pneumonia, encephalitis, organ failure and death.

  • Campylobacter

    Campylobacter is now recognized as one of the main causes of bacterial foodborne disease in many developed countries. At least a dozen species of Campylobacter have been implicated in human disease, with C. jejuni and C. coli as the most common.

    Symptoms: Fever, Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Abdominal Pain, Headache, Muscle Pain.

  • Salmonella

    Salmonella infections can be transferred between humans and animals. Many infections are due to ingestion of contaminated food. In some cases, Salmonella food poisoning can result in serious, life-threatening complications, such as severe dehydration. Salmonella typhi can cause typhoid fever.

    Symptoms: Fever, Chills, Dizziness, Headache, Bloody Diarrhea, Nausea, Vomiting, Severe Abdominal Pain, Change in Consciousness, Confusion and Delirium.

  • Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

    Pseudomonas Aeruginosa is a common bacterium that can cause disease in animals and humans. It is found in soil, water, skin flora and most man-made environments throughout the world. Because it thrives on most surfaces, this bacterium can contaminate medical equipment, including catheters, causing cross-infections in hospitals and clinics.

    Symptoms: Fever, Fatigue, Infections of the: Urinary Tract, Bone, Ears, Eyes, and Skin.

Facts and Figures

Of Germs & Bacteria

Hospital-acquired
infections cost
$30
billionannually.



Men
have more bacteria
underneath their
fingernails than their
female counterparts.


80%
of germs and bacteria
are spread by our hands.



16%
of mobile phones
contain fecal matter.

Keyboards have
60x
more germs than
a toilet seat.

Keyboards have
150x
over the acceptable limit
for bacteria levels.

Thousands of germs
and bacteria
live on your hands;
millions
live under your fingernails.

There are more
bacteria under a
fingernail than under a
Toilet Seat.

Nail Care Tips

Hydrate your Body

Drinking water is very important for the entire body. If you want beautiful looking nails, you need to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water per day. Water helps in re-hydrating your nails, preventing them from chipping off. You are guaranteed to have healthier nails when you have a regular intake of water in the body.

Eat Iron

Iron is important for the growth of the nails. A lack of iron is often indicated by ridges and rounded nails. This will eventually form hangnails and white spots on your fingers. Eating food rich in iron such as beef, tuna, chicken and salmon is highly recommended for proper nail care. These foods supply your body with enough iron to keep your nails healthy.

Eat Healthy

Eating a healthy and well-balanced diet is essential for the overall development and growth of your nails. For healthy nails, calcium is essential. It will help in avoiding discoloration and chipping. Your body also needs an adequate supply of vitamin A, phosphorous, zinc, folic acid, silica and vitamin C to maintain the health of your nails.

Nail Maintenance

It is important to regularly trim and file your nails with the help of sharp clippers. Never use any blunt tool to trim as it can cause damage. The best way to cut your nails is to first trim the nail straight across and finish it up by giving a gentle round shape to the tips. Then use a nail file to smoothen your nails. Wash your fingers and then wait for fifteen minutes before trimming and filing.

Massage your Hands

Take out time and massage your hands properly. A hand massage stimulates blood circulation and helps in the growth of nails, making them healthy and strong. Try to give yourself a hand massage with olive oil once in a week if possible.

Cuticle Care

Cuticle care is also important to nail care. Be sure to keep your nails and cuticles moisturized; you can do this by applying cuticle cream daily to encourage the growth of healthy nails.

Germs & Your Nails

Germs are everywhere. We know that we can find them in the air, on our food, in the water and on virtually every surface we come into contact with.

It's true that most germs won't harm us thanks to our immune system's ability to protect against infectious agents, but some germs prove to be challenging opponents as they constantly mutate to breach our immune system's defenses. Integrating freshnails™ into your daily routine can increase your chances of keeping these germs at bay and remaining healthy year-round.

Good Bacteria Vs. Bad Bacteria

Believe it or not, our bodies are actually dependent on bad bacteria – but it's about balance. For healthy body and digestive systems, 85% of the bacteria in our bodies should be good, while 15% needs to be bad. Simply put: when this balance isn't maintained, we get sick. The balance is also likely to be disrupted when we do things like take too many antibiotics, use too much antibacterial soap or are under stress.

So what's the difference?

Good bacteria is any bacteria that is beneficial to the body and enhances our health: some can protect things like our skin, while others protect our immune system by combatting harmful bacteria and can live on our skin, mouth, stomach and intestines. Good bacteria are classified under two categories: Commensals and Symbionts.

Commensals are a type of good bacteria that live on the surfaces of our body. Given that both the bacteria and the person benefit from each other, they're considered commensal meaning that the person and the bacteria live closely together but aren't interdependent. These good bacteria compete with the unhealthy bacteria that protect us from disease. Symbionts, on the other hand, differ considerably as they are completely dependent on us for survival, and we are completely dependent on them. Without Symbionts, we would get much sicker much more frequently.

In terms of bacteria that are harmful to us, bad bacteria are anything that make us ill or kills us and usually originates from a point outside of the body. This bad bacteria attack the body's cells or produces toxins that sicken us. When multiplied, bad bacteria win the fight between good and bad bacteria and can cause disease and infection. What's worse, is that some bacteria are just plain dangerous. They overpower our systems and can cause diseases such as Cholera, Leprosy, lime disease, Q Fever, Staph Infections, and more.

The Antibacterial Soap Debate

Recently, the use of antibacterial soap has caused some points of contention within the medical community. Some researchers claim that the use of antibacterial soap causes resistance to antibiotics. While the FDA stated that there is no evidence of this being the case in people, Stuart Levy, MD, a professor at Tufts University School in Boston and author of The Antibiotic Paradox claims that there is in fact laboratory evidence of resistance, and that scientists need to examine the issue over a longer period of time.

Regardless, the primary issue with antibacterial soaps is that they don't do any better a job of removing germs and bacteria from your hands as regular soap, according to J.J. Wood, MD, Chairman of the FDA's Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee.